The SMO: Your Sunday Morning Optimist

Forgive the SMO for being a little shorter today, it doesn't enjoy watching LHN replays of boring football.

Hey, I thought Texas refused to schedule FCS opponents! Ha! (This joke is copyrighted by SMO Incorporated.)

It wasn't pretty, it wasn't overly impressive, it wasn't up to the Texas standard, but it was a conference victory.  Texas came out and (somewhat) dominated Kansas on both sides of the football. Even though the Longhorns didn't crush Kansas like everybody had hoped, they did what they had to do to beat a sloppy, pathetic Jayhawk team.

Very Optimistic- Malcolm Brown

With an eye opening four touchdowns, Malcolm Brown was a bright spot for the Longhorns on a day when the offense struggled to spark. Brown, who has replaced Bergeron as the short yardage, goal-line back, has six touchdowns in his last two ball games and 290 yards over his last three.  Compare that with his 60 yards in the first five games and you've got a strong case for the most improved player award, even though that award seems to belong to the defensive line. Brown's improvement couldn't be more timely, as evidenced by McCoy's lackluster arm. Texas will need to dominate the rushing game for the rest of the season if they are going to have a shot at busting into the BCS.

Very Optimistic- Defensive Line

Think about this for a second: Chris Whaley has more touchdowns than Jaxon Shipley in 2013. It's hard to imagine how Whaley is finding his way to the endzone, but as a strong advocate for FATGUY TOUCHDOWNs, you'll find no complaints here. Whaley, Malcom Brown, Cedric Reed, and Jackson Jeffcoat are a force to be reckoned with. Jeffcoat is first in the Big 12 with six sacks, followed by Reed who is third in the conference with five. These guys are finding ways to get to the quarterback, which is important when the secondary has some weak links. Look for these guys to continue to be difference makers for the Longhorns.

Optimistic- Greg Robinson

Dear Coach Robinson,

I was recently talking to a football player about why the defense was playing better and wanted to get his opinion. He had two words for me: Greg. Robinson. Thank you. What you have done has not only made Texas football watchable again, but also somewhat exciting. Sure, there is room for improvement. Kansas found ways to move the ball with screen passes and an effective running game, but hey, you can't fix it all, am I right? When they hired you, I was skeptical. Now, I get it. Sometimes, the best defense is the most simplified defense. In Madden, I run a Cover 2 with a QB spy on every play and my online record is inconceivable.  I like you. I like your perfectly coiffed white hair. I like your unusual old man celebrations on the sideline that commentators mock. If this season shifts from famine to feast, statues will be erected in your honor. Little "Greg" children will litter the local public schools. Mack Brown will owe you lunch everyday for a hundred years. Keep being you, Father Gerg. You're a defensive prophet.

Signed,

Every Conscious Texas Football Fan Ever.

Pessimistic- Tyrone Swoopes

This comparison is going to irk a majority of you, but hear me out. Remember when Garrett Gilbert came into the national championship game and looked like garbage? Do you remember how it took him a little time to get comfortable before a pretty solid second half? Excluding the rest of his terrible career, there was reason to believe that double G was our guy. Well, here's an idea, why not give Tyrone Swoopes more meaningful plays in a football game so that he can get comfortable, too? If we really burned his redshirt so that he can play with garbage time football, than it was an incredibly irresponsible move. Why not give him a couple packages throughout the game? Did you see how Michigan treated Devin Gardner while Denard Robinson was the guy? They gave him packaged plays and experience in all four quarters throughout his freshman season.

Nothing about the Swoopes situation makes sense to me anymore. Yes, he came in and looked terrible, but Case has looked awful since the Oklahoma game. I like Case as a person. He seems like the kind of guy who's out there with something to prove. That's awesome. That's great. I get it. But, Case has thrown four interceptions in his last 32 attempts. That's not good. If we want an experienced backup, Swoopes is going to need some actual experience. That's my two cents. It's probably worth half of that.

It was, by all standards, a pretty mediocre football game to attend and watch. But a win is a win. For Mack Brown, the rebuilding of his legacy continues. Hopefully, the man will go out a winner. He deserves it for his contributions to the program. This is his farewell tour, so get your tickets now. It's going by fast.